Budget | Adjournment | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-04-04.177.1&m=722#g177.10
Ninety-four per cent of taxpayers will pay a tax rate of no more than 30c in the dollar, putting more money in their back pockets to pay for life's essentials and to save for the future. More...Ninety-four per cent of taxpayers will pay a tax rate of no more than 30c in the dollar, putting more money in their back pockets to pay for life's essentials and to save for the future. More than 20,000 businesses in my electorate will be eligible for the budget's extended and expanded instant asset write-off, with companies with a turnover of up to $50 million able to apply it to assets costing up to $30,000.

This Liberal-National government can let Fisher residents and businesses keep more of their own money, because we know how to build a strong economy. Labor want to slug the people of Fisher with $200 billion of new taxes, because their answer to everything is to spend other people's money. A strong economy means we can help people in Fisher to get home sooner and safer by building the infrastructure our community deserves. In the last two budgets this Liberal-National government invested $3.13 billion in upgrades to the Bruce Highway between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast and $390 million to duplicate the North Coast railway line.

This budget commits another $91.4 million to improving the Maroochydore Road interchange on the Bruce Highway. There's $3.65 million for making Sunshine Coast roads safer and $12 million to rebuild the bridge over Mayes Canal on Brisbane Road in Mooloolaba. Locals know that this is one of the major routes into Mooloolaba, and it is a terrible congestion hotspot. I've been advocating for action to improve it, along with my friend John Connolly, the local councillor, and he has done a great job in advocating for that, so well done to John. The new bridge will allow for two lanes each way and make a very big difference to John Connolly for locals and tourists alike.

A strong economy helps to create the jobs that local people want, but it also pays for the vital services that we need. This is the why—why we have a strong economy; why we need to have budget surpluses. This budget continues the Liberal-National government's record investment in schools and hospitals. In the period to 2025, we'll see $266 million in extra funding for schools in Fisher and an estimated $261.7 million extra for our local hospitals. This budget invests a further $20 million into Fisher healthcare projects that are close to my heart and I've been fighting for on behalf of the local residents. Twelve million dollars will go to Wishlist, to build low- and no-cost accommodation for families visiting sick people at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital; $4½ million will be committed to the endED Butterfly House in Mooloolah Valley; and a further $2½ million will be committed to the Thompson institute. That's on top of the $5 million that we provided for them in the 2017 budget. That will go to dementia programs, youth mental health and suicide prevention. Only the Liberal-National government can afford to support these fantastic initiatives, and I wholly recommend the budget.

]]>2019-04-04T11:45:00+00:00Budget | Adjournment | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-04-04.177.1&m=722#g177.8
Thank you. I was having a little trouble hearing myself over my&#8212;Thank you. I was having a little trouble hearing myself over my— ]]>2019-04-04T11:45:00+00:00Budget | Adjournment | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-04-04.177.1&m=722#g177.6
I want to help people in Fisher meet the rising cost of living by letting them keep more of their own money. Sixty thousand residents in my electorate will receive a tax cut of up to $1,080 from...I want to help people in Fisher meet the rising cost of living by letting them keep more of their own money. Sixty thousand residents in my electorate will receive a tax cut of up to $1,080 from the end of this tax year under this budget. Ninety-four per cent of taxpayers will pay a tax rate of no more than 30c in the dollar.

Honourable members interjecting—

]]>2019-04-04T11:45:00+00:00Budget | Adjournment | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-04-04.177.1&m=722#g177.2
This week we saw a great budget for Australia but an even better budget for the Sunshine Coast. Nationally, it delivers the first surplus in&#8212;how long?&#8212;12 years. Did you hear that?...This week we saw a great budget for Australia but an even better budget for the Sunshine Coast. Nationally, it delivers the first surplus in—how long?—12 years. Did you hear that? Twelve years! There is $100 billion in infrastructure investment. There is $300 billion for schools and help with energy bills for older Australians, and it does it all while delivering $158 billion in lower income taxes.

Locally, it's a budget that helps lower our cost of living. It allows Sunshine Coast residents to keep more of their own money, funds even more infrastructure for our community, helps local businesses to create more jobs of the future, and provides the vital services that we need.

]]>2019-04-04T11:45:00+00:00endED Butterfly House | Constituency Statements | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-04-03.148.1&m=722#g148.2
Mark and Gayle Forbes are an inspiration to anyone who is fortunate enough to know them. Rather than let their family's experience with eating disorders dictate their futures, Mark and his family...Mark and Gayle Forbes are an inspiration to anyone who is fortunate enough to know them. Rather than let their family's experience with eating disorders dictate their futures, Mark and his family took it upon themselves to help other families living with the same challenges. They had a vision: to build Australia's first residential specialist treatment facility for eating disorders, a comfortable homelike environment set on a beautiful rural property where sufferers could recover and grow. Unwilling to wait for the project's funding to come together, Mark bought the block of land that endED Butterfly House will occupy with a generous donation from Roy and Nola Thompson. Since then he has gathered pledges of support from 36 local businesses, who have promised to donate or provide free goods and services for the build.

But for all their hard work and dedication, Mark and Gayle cannot do this alone. That's why I was proud and overjoyed to be able to tell Mark yesterday morning that the Liberal-National government is providing endED Butterfly House with $4.5 million in the 2019-20 federal budget. This is in addition to the $1.5 million I announced to support the house's construction last year and the $180,000 I announced weeks ago to support their passionate recovery coaches, Millie Thomas and Laura Chamberlain. A small portion of this funding will make up the remaining shortfall needed for the house's construction. The bulk, however, will go towards Commonwealth support for specialist residential care for public patients at the facility over the next four years. It will ensure that best practice in-patient treatment is available on the Sunshine Coast for the most vulnerable people who could not otherwise afford it.

This funding is part of the Liberal-National government's $70.2 million program to establish six residential eating disorder centres across Australia, no doubt inspired by Mark's example and the national leadership that endED and the Butterfly Foundation are providing. The Minister for Health has shown great dedication to helping people living with an eating disorder and helping their families, and, in particular, he's done a huge amount to support endED. The minister should be congratulated for his focus on the deadly conditions. I'm grateful to him for being so available to Mark and I, and so receptive to our advocacy for endED Butterfly House. As we celebrate this lifesaving funding, we should remember that it is only through a strong economy that we're able to deliver it. The Liberal-National government can afford to make this difference for people who are suffering because we are securing a strong economy which can pay for the services that we need.

]]>2019-04-03T10:28:00+00:00Australian Veterans' Recognition (Putting Veterans and their Families First) Bill 2019; Second Reading | Bills | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-04-03.31.1&m=722#g31.2
I rise in support of the government's Australian Veterans' Recognition (Putting Veterans and their Families First) Bill 2019. A few weeks ago I had the privilege of presenting a Unit Citation for...I rise in support of the government's Australian Veterans' Recognition (Putting Veterans and their Families First) Bill 2019. A few weeks ago I had the privilege of presenting a Unit Citation for Gallantry to my constituent, Geoffrey Eaton. Geoff was a private on the front lines during the battles for fire support bases Coral and Balmoral during the Vietnam War. Geoff did me the honour of requesting that I present him with the citation in lieu of his unit's commanding officer.

At the presentation, Geoff told me his story and described some of the harrowing experiences that he went through during those days in 1968. It is impossible for those of us who were not there to fully understand what this bill describes as 'the unique nature of military service and the sacrifice demanded of those who commit to defend our nation'. Geoff tried to describe a little about the effect that his service had on him, when he said:

I didn't talk of it for a long time. A lot of guys had a hard time coming back. I was pretty fortunate, I was looked after there. But later on it came back and bit me.

Geoff has been part of advocating for proper recognition of the actions and the experiences that his comrades went through at Coral and Balmoral. As he said at the presentation, the unit's recognition was 'a long time coming'. I was pleased to have the opportunity to thank Geoff for his service, and I hope that the citation will be of some comfort and pride to Geoff and to the other members of his unit and their families. Geoff's story was another moving reminder for me of how critical it is that we appropriately recognise and acknowledge our veterans' service. I believe that today's bill is another important step, both practical and symbolic, toward proper recognition for all of our former service men and women.

In August last year I held a Fisher veterans forum in my electorate at the Caloundra RSL. I invited Senator Jim Molan to take part in the forum. The veterans that we spoke with were passionate about the importance of service and the ADF. They were modest about their contributions and, most importantly, they were passionate about supporting one another. When it came to the help that they wanted from government, the message was loud and clear. Veterans want the support that we provide to be straightforward to access, and they want practical, pragmatic solutions. It is clear from this concise and well-designed bill that the government has heard that feedback. It has created a Veterans' Recognition Program that is indeed practical and straightforward. I want to thank the Minister for Veterans' Affairs for his efficient and committed work on this matter.

The bill before the House has two aspects. One sets out clearly in legislation the commitment that the Commonwealth government owes to veterans in return for their selfless service to our country. The second sets up the legislative framework for some of the government's simple and practical measures to aid in veterans' further recognition in the community. The first aspect, part 2, lays out the minimum that veterans can expect from our community in return for their service. The second aspect, part 3, sets up the means for our community to go further.

Service to our nation is, at the best of times, exacting and tough. It imposes great discipline, and even in peacetime exposes men and women to risks that are not faced in civilian life. Service in peacetime requires the sacrifice of time, of freedom, of comforts and of family. It can involve long stretches away from home, in unfamiliar and, in some places, hostile situations. As we have seen recently in the Queensland floods, it can require a willingness to go into situations which others are seeking to flee and to deal with the worst that nature can do to ordinary people. It is physically demanding, emotionally tough and psychologically stressful.

In times of conflict, on deployment, another layer of sacrifice—hard for civilians like me to imagine—is imposed on them. Few of us understand what it is to intentionally risk our lives. Few know how it feels to be vulnerable to armed attack or to watch close friends and colleagues be injured or even killed. Service men and women in conflict zones live with constant stress and privation from the luxuries of home. They can be required to deal with the worst of human suffering and to operate effectively in almost impossible situations. It is clear that these experiences, these sacrifices, are like nothing else in a person's life.

It is therefore right that the government recognises and acknowledges in this bill the uniqueness of that sacrifice. It is absolutely right that the government acknowledges that those who return from service of this kind may need special support with their health, with getting new employment and housing, and with enjoying some of the day-to-day activities in which we all take part.

We owe our service men and women a great debt. It is right that the government, with this bill, acknowledges that in fulfilling that debt it must provide the care and support that veterans need to participate in education or employment or to achieve economic wellbeing and sustainability. This represents, I believe, the government's acknowledgement of the least that we can do.

The second part of the bill provides the government with the ability to go further. By authorising the production of visible symbols of service, including the lapel pin and veterans card, which will form part of the coalition government's veterans recognition program, we will make it easier for individuals and organisations to provide extra acknowledgement in veterans' day-to-day lives. This may be as simple as a thankyou in the street or a seat given up on the train, but it might include discounts, concessions or other special offers made by businesses and organisations in the community.

With the proposed covenant, a uniquely Australian oath in its unpretentious simplicity, this bill also provides a means for all of us to buy into these same commitments. Alongside our government, alongside businesses and community groups, the covenant gives ordinary Australians the opportunity to give thanks and to acknowledge the debt we all owe to our service men and women.

I've sought in my own way, in my electorate of Fisher, to create more opportunities to acknowledge our veterans, and in the process I have encountered one of the very challenges that this bill will overcome. On 11 October last year, I held the first of what I hope will be an annual Sunshine Coast veterans day. I worked closely with Fisher icon Australia Zoo to provide free entry to the zoo for a day for all veterans and their partners. I received significant support from local RSLs, especially including the nearby Glasshouse Country RSL subbranch, and from local veterans organisation Wet Vets. Mates4Mates held their regular coffee catch-up at Australia Zoo, and, in total, hundreds of former service men and women visited the zoo to enjoy their unique wildlife experiences throughout the day. I'm grateful to Wes Mannion and Bill Ferguson of Australia Zoo and to Jamie Hope of Wet Vets for helping me organise the day. It was a wonderful experience, and I hope that we'll have many more such Sunshine Coast veterans days in my electorate in the years to come.

However, one of the challenges that Australia Zoo and I faced in organising the Sunshine Coast veterans day was appropriately identifying veterans. Without a universal identification card, it was difficult to create a clear and appropriate means of confirming their status. We had no desire to challenge veterans or to grill them on their service, nor did we want any confusion among the zoo's many ticket desk workers as to the eligibility for the scheme. In the end, it was necessary to trust to common sense and to the community's goodwill.

The provision in the bill before us today for a single, clearly marked veterans card will make this process significantly easier for everyone in future years. The veterans card, the veterans covenant and the lapel pin are simple, practical and timely measures that will enable our community and local businesses to get behind the recognition of veterans and to easily offer them the thanks that they deserve. I urge them to do just that.

Before I close, I want to acknowledge the work of my constituent Graeme Mickelberg and his son, the hardworking state member for Buderim, Brent Mickelberg. Graeme and Brent both served in the Australian Army and have been tireless proponents of greater recognition for veterans for many years. Brent has consistently highlighted the challenges of transition for recent veterans and has spoken movingly in the Queensland parliament about the post-traumatic stress disorder which made his own return to civilian life so difficult.

Graeme is a passionate man whose insistence and tenacious advocacy are impossible to ignore. After 40 years of service as an infantry officer at home and overseas, he is as knowledgeable as he is determined, and he deserves a great deal of credit for helping to bring about the bill before us today. As far back as May 2013, he wrote in the Sunshine Coast's Hinterland Times that Australia would be well served to consider:

… a military covenant that recognises the unique nature of military service and enhances the respect accorded to Defence Force members and veterans.

Since then, both Graeme and Brent have joined me in Canberra to meet with the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, and have been a very active part of supporting the development of this veterans' recognition program. I know that Graeme and Brent will be following today's debate very closely. I want to thank them for their hard work on behalf of veterans on the Sunshine Coast and all over Australia.

I also want to make a big shout-out to Win Fowles, another of my constituents and the vice-president of the Sunshine Coast Defence Force Welfare Association chapter. When I first became the federal member for Fisher, three years ago, Win was one of the first people I met with. He has taken me through many of the trials and tribulations that Defence Force veterans face on a daily basis. I know that Win has also been instrumentally involved in the creation of the military covenant.

On behalf of my colleagues and everyone here today, I'd like to honour all of those on the Sunshine Coast, and in fact all over Australia, who serve or have served in our nation's armed forces. We thank you for your service. We remember their families, who have lived with separation and often with fear of what may come. This bill contains not only a landmark acknowledgement on behalf of the government of Australia of our responsibility to honour that service but also practical steps to help our community to go further. In the words of the new Australian Defence Veterans' Covenant:

For what they have done, this we will do.

I commend the bill to the House.

]]>2019-04-03T12:33:00+00:00Internet Content | Questions without Notice | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-04-02.69.1&m=722#g69.2
My question is to the Attorney-General. Would the Attorney-General please update the House on what the government is doing to protect Australians online? And what is it doing to hold social media...My question is to the Attorney-General. Would the Attorney-General please update the House on what the government is doing to protect Australians online? And what is it doing to hold social media companies to account? ]]>2019-04-02T15:07:00+00:00Small Business | Statements by Members | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-04-02.44.1&m=722#g44.2
The choice that faces small-business owners in Fisher in May is stark. On one hand, they have a Liberal-National coalition government which has cut their business taxes and will cut them further,...The choice that faces small-business owners in Fisher in May is stark. On one hand, they have a Liberal-National coalition government which has cut their business taxes and will cut them further, has extended their instant asset write-off and has reduced their red tape by nearly $6 billion. We've introduced 20-day payment terms on government contracts and created billions of dollars of new export opportunities through free trade agreements. On the other hand, they have a Labor Party which wants to increase company taxes, introduce a 30 per cent tax grab on discretionary trusts, send energy bills skyrocketing with their extremist ideology, increase penalty rates and leave small businesses vulnerable to $8 billion dollars in holiday back pay for casual workers who've already received their extra loading. It is a choice between a Liberal-National government that is delivering our first budget surplus in 12 years, has created 1.2 million new jobs and has the second-fastest growing economy in the G20 or an economy-destroying Labor Party more interested in placating the unions and the Greens than in increasing prosperity for all of us. Small and family businesses are the backbone of this country and the lifeblood of my local community. The Liberal-National Party understands their hard work, their contribution and their commitment to local communities. We will never stop working hard for small businesses— (Time expired) ]]>2019-04-02T13:52:00+00:00Banking and Financial Services | Statements by Members | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-02-18.207.1&m=722#g207.2
Last week I spoke with a group of 50 mortgage brokers who live on the Sunshine Coast at a meeting at the Mooloolaba Surf Club organised by John McNamara of SMS Finance. The mortgage brokers that...Last week I spoke with a group of 50 mortgage brokers who live on the Sunshine Coast at a meeting at the Mooloolaba Surf Club organised by John McNamara of SMS Finance. The mortgage brokers that I met are hardworking small-business men and women who are passionate about getting the best outcomes for their clients. They raised their concerns regarding the impacts on mortgage holders that would result from the recommendations of the Hayne royal commission. They drew attention to possible incentives for inappropriately high levels of churn and the damaging impact on competition that these reforms could produce.

In responding to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry, we must ensure that large financial institutions whose unacceptable corporate behaviour has hurt so many ordinary Australians are forced to change their approach and put their customers' interests first. However, in doing so, we must ensure that we do not damage those same customers' interests by eliminating small and family-owned businesses in the financial sector and reducing the competition that will be so vital to reform.

I'm grateful to John McNamara and to the many committed mortgage brokers I met for their feedback on how to strike that important balance. I'll be passing on their ideas to the Treasurer in the days to come. They were certainly very, very passionate and animated in their concerns, and I will no doubt be speaking to the Treasurer about them in due course.

]]>2019-02-18T16:17:00+00:00Fisher Electorate: Education, Employment and Retirement | Adjournment | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-02-18.155.1&m=722#g155.2
I sought election to this parliament because I want to help to make my community the place to be for education, employment and retirement. That is my vision for Fisher, and it is my mission on...I sought election to this parliament because I want to help to make my community the place to be for education, employment and retirement. That is my vision for Fisher, and it is my mission on behalf of the people who elected me. In 2019 I will be fighting for the people in Fisher on four campaigns that will help deliver that vision in the years to come—building the roads and rail infrastructure our community needs; protecting thousands of local seniors from Labor's unfair retiree tax; growing a stronger local economy that delivers the jobs of the future on the Sunshine Coast; and securing our prosperity by avoiding Labor's disastrous property tax grab.

Since 2016, the coalition government has committed to billions of dollars in upgrades to the Bruce Highway and the North Coast Rail locally. The first phase of the necessary roadworks is already at the halfway stage. The second phase, extra lanes between Caboolture and Steve Irwin Way, will commence in 2020. Likewise, we have 70 per cent of the rail funds we need and planning is underway. However, our community cannot go forward with endless construction works. We need the extra lanes, the extra track, the flood-proofing and the improved interchanges that the government has committed to fund built as soon as possible.

Finally, Sunshine Coast residents know that we will also need action on local state government roads. It won't solve our problems simply to fix the national infrastructure in Fisher; we also need to deal with the heavy congestion on key routes throughout our community. In 2019, I will fight to fast-track our road and rail upgrades and turn my attention to our local roads to work on congestion-busting solutions for Caloundra Road, Kawana Way, Nicklin Way and Brisbane Road.

Without a strong economy we cannot deliver these upgrades. My constituents understand that without a strong economy we cannot properly fund the 39 schools, the thousands of childcare places, the University of the Sunshine Coast and Medicare, the best universal healthcare system in the world. Without a strong economy we cannot encourage the new industries, like defence and high-tech manufacturing, which are going to deliver the meaningful jobs that our young people want, and we cannot support our small and family businesses to employ more locals. Without a strong economy we cannot deliver the medicines, the aged-care places and the hospital on which our seniors rely.

I'll be fighting in 2019 to maintain the government's unmatched economic management and ensure that it pays dividends for Fisher across the sectors of education, employment and retirement. Almost half of the people of my electorate are already retired or they're looking seriously to their future after employment. Retirees in Fisher are devastated by the prospect of the Labor Party's unfair retiree tax. More than 7,200 retirees in Fisher are proud of what they've achieved. They've worked hard to save for their retirement and to ensure that they are not a burden on the taxpayer. Thousands more are facing the prospect of retirement in the years to come and have made the same community-spirited commitment. Now they fear having that independence, with up to a third of their income, torn away by the Leader of the Opposition in his insatiable thirst for other people's money. How can it be fair for a self-funded retiree earning less than $37,000 per annum to lose their franking dividend credits, while others—even in this place—keep theirs? In 2019, I will fight to keep Fisher the place to be for self-funded retirees, and I will fight to stop Labor's unfair retiree tax.

Finally, 82,000 families on the Sunshine Coast own their own home and 37,000 of us rent, while the construction industry contributes a vital $3.5 billion to the local economy. The people of Fisher know that Labor's property tax would be an attack on all of us. How can it be fair for Labor's new property taxes to reduce the value of our homes, increase our rents and decimate the construction industry jobs on which this community relies? The Sunshine Coast will be the epicentre of Labor's property tax and its catastrophic impact, and I'm determined to fight it each and every day. (Time expired)

]]>2019-02-18T19:43:00+00:00South-East Queensland City Deal | Statements by Members | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-02-18.51.1&m=722#g51.2
The Morrison government's announcement of a city deal for South-East Queensland is a fantastic result for my electorate of Fisher. I'm grateful to the Prime Minister, and the Minister for Cities,...The Morrison government's announcement of a city deal for South-East Queensland is a fantastic result for my electorate of Fisher. I'm grateful to the Prime Minister, and the Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population for this new commitment to our region. This city deal has the potential to transform South-East Queensland, bringing new jobs and tourists to our region. Rightly, every community will be putting forward its wish list and advocating for their own projects. However, I want to assure the people of Fisher that I will work hard to ensure that the coast is at the heart of this deal. I will fight to put projects which benefit the Sunshine Coast at the top of the priority list and to shape a city deal which delivers for our community. The Morrison government is already taking action on the Bruce Highway, and the North Coast rail duplication, with $3.4 billion in federal investment.

I want people in Fisher to get in touch and tell me about the other ambitious projects they believe will take our region forward through the next 10 to 20 years. I encourage my constituents to phone or email me, or contact me through my website, with their ideas today. This city deal is a fantastic opportunity and, with my constituents' help, I'm determined to make the most of it

]]>2019-02-18T13:47:00+00:00Fisher Electorate | Constituency Statements | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-02-14.155.1&m=722#g155.10
Thank you. Thank you. ]]>2019-02-14T11:51:00+00:00Fisher Electorate | Constituency Statements | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-02-14.155.1&m=722#g155.2
In 2019 I am committed to doing even more to listen to the people of Fisher. That's why I'm holding listening posts every Friday morning by roadsides and in parks all over Fisher. It's also why...In 2019 I am committed to doing even more to listen to the people of Fisher. That's why I'm holding listening posts every Friday morning by roadsides and in parks all over Fisher. It's also why I'm hosting coffee catch-ups in local shopping centres every Tuesday morning and why I'm taking a stall at weekend markets in Kawana, Currimundi, Mooloolaba, Maleny and Landsborough. People in Fisher can find out where I'll be each week by checking my Facebook page.

I'm also stepping up my program of community forums and consultations. Already since mid-January, I have held an NBN forum, an NDIS forum and held sessions for my seniors, youth and defence councils. Invitations are going out to my upcoming Fisher construction industry forum and a law and order forum which will provide more opportunities for local residents to provide feedback on some of the critical issues that face us in Fisher. I have many, many more forums planned for 2019.

To kick off 2019, however, I wanted to hold a listening post in every town of my electorate, but I also wanted to understand better some of the transport challenges facing my community so I created the Tour de Fisher. In five days I cycled over 200 kilometres on my pushbike and stopped—in lycra—to speak to local residents in 26 different towns around my electorate. I had one-on-one conversations with more than 200 constituents about the issues that matter to them.

In every town I visited in lycra there were local projects that residents want—from an upgraded pool for Conondale, new beachside facilities at Currimundi to not wanting to see their federal member in lycra! I'll be looking into these projects and, where possible, I'll be fighting for federal support to make them a reality.

But across Tour de Fisher in all of my listening posts this year four issues stood out. Local seniors are absolutely gutted at what Labor plans to do to people who've worked hard all their lives with their unfair and punitive retiree tax. Home owners, renters and the many construction workers in my electorate rightly expressed similar concerns about Labor's disastrous property tax and want to see it stopped. Most residents want to see a stronger diverse coast economy which offers them the great new jobs that they want. Sunshine Coasters are sick and tired of congestion on roads. They want to see construction on the Bruce Highway and the north coast rail fast-tracked, and they want to see action from our helpless and hopeless state government.

Finally, I believe very passionately that physical fitness is inextricably linked to mental wellbeing, and that's why I chose to do this ride.

]]>2019-02-14T11:51:00+00:00Treasury Laws Amendment (Making Sure Foreign Investors Pay Their Fair Share of Tax in Australia and Other Measures) Bill 2018, Income Tax (Managed Investment Trust Withholding Tax) Amendment Bill 2018, Income Tax Rates Amendment (Sovereign Entities) Bill 2018; Second Reading | Bills | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-02-13.141.1&m=722#g144.1
Mr Deputy Speaker, I know that you will be riveted to hear that the implications of this bill, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Making Sure Foreign Investors Pay Their Fair Share of Tax in Australia...Mr Deputy Speaker, I know that you will be riveted to hear that the implications of this bill, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Making Sure Foreign Investors Pay Their Fair Share of Tax in Australia and Other Measures) Bill 2018, as part of the coalition government's historic program of tax reform, are both practical and profound. People who live in my electorate of Fisher who want to invest in Australia's future will see the day-to-day benefits of the bill in the form of a level playing field, beginning on 1 July this year. But the values and beliefs that underlie this bill and our tax reform policies in general are fundamental to the weighty choice that will face all Australians at the coming federal election. It is a choice between two visions for the future of our country and between two contrasting beliefs about the success that Australians deserve.

The Liberal-National coalition want to keep tax rates as low as possible to allow people to keep more of their own money. Labor, on the other hand, want to take $200 billion more from Australians' back pockets. The coalition want to reward aspiration and ensure that hard work is not punished. Labor believe that, the harder you work, the more the government should take from you. The coalition want to encourage Australians to invest in their future and in the future of our country. Labor want to punish investment and discourage Australians from saving for their future because Labor want more Australians to be reliant on the public purse. The coalition want a tax policy which helps grow a strong economy and allows us to pay for the services that Australians need. Labor will weaken that economy with an onerous, unaffordable tax burden that will eventually drag all of us down. Our government wants a level playing field. We want to ensure that the tax rules are the same for everyone, regardless of wealth, size of corporation or geographical location. Labor want different rules for different people, unfairly targeting retirees or hardworking families who own an investment property.

That is the contrast between the coalition's historic tax reforms and Labor's shameless tax grab. That is the context of this bill and the tax reform program in which it fits. In particular, it is an encouraging domestic investment in ensuring a level playing field where this bill will have its impact. Schedule 1 of the bill will ensure that a foreign investor cannot take income they derive from trading in Australia and avoid paying the full rate of tax on it by converting it through what is known as a stapled structure into passive income from agricultural land or residential housing. Until now, these stapled structures have allowed foreign investors, and only foreign investors, to achieve effective tax rates of less than 15 per cent, far lower than what Australians would ordinarily pay. It has also allowed them to get an unfair tax advantage over Australian citizens who want to invest in our domestic, agricultural or residential property. The coalition government encourages foreign investment in Australia. However, we believe that, if you earn an income in Australia, you should pay the same tax on that income that an Australian must pay.

Schedule 2 of the bill prevents foreign investors from creating layers of trusts which can convert the active business income that investors have gained into interest payments taxed at a much lower rate. The bill would group these trusts together, apply the same so-called thin capitalisation rules to them as apply to other entities investing in Australia and thereby ensure that they cannot be used to create large debt deductions and reduce the tax owed to Treasury.

Finally, schedules 3 and 4 would reduce the tax exemptions enjoyed by foreign pension funds and sovereign wealth funds. While the government want to encourage overseas pension funds to invest in Australia, currently our tax incentives to do so are far more generous than most equivalent countries afford to Australians. We need to redress the balance and ensure that our investors are not comparatively disadvantaged by the excessive concessions that we grant to overseas funds.

Importantly, however, the government recognises that there are high areas of need in Australia where additional tax incentives for foreign investment are in fact appropriate. With a rapidly growing population, we face a considerable need for new infrastructure and more affordable housing right across this country. As such, the government has built in, for example, a pragmatic exemption to schedule 1 of this package for 15 years for nationally important infrastructure projects and has included in the bill further support for affordable rental housing. It's ensured that these measures were developed in close consultation with industry groups, businesses, investors and other tiers of government across two years of discussions. We have ensured that there are transition arrangements built in of between seven and 15 years in the case of existing arrangements to make sure that no-one is unfairly disadvantaged. These reforms are targeted and pragmatic, ensuring a level playing field without discouraging the investment that we so badly need in this country.

In total, closing these loopholes will ensure that Treasury recoups around $400 million over the next four years in taxation which foreign investors would otherwise have avoided paying. That's $400 million in unfair advantage negated, and $400 million that the government can put towards the services on which Australians rely. If left unchecked, this loss of revenue could have grown into the billions, as more foreign investors would seek to take advantage of the loopholes, to the serious detriment of Australian domestic investment.

Overall, as I've sought to describe, this bill is an essential element of the coalition's wider taxation reform package, helping to ensure a level playing field, enforce the same rules on all and encourage domestic investment. In assessing the merits of this bill in its wider context, the House should consider what the coalition's taxation reform package has already delivered for all Australians. Sixty thousand people in my electorate of Fisher, for example, are already better off because of the coalition government's tax reforms. Working Australians who live in communities like Caloundra, Beerwah, Maleny or Mooloolaba are seeing up to $530 more in their pay packets every year. Ordinary families in those communities, in towns like Kawana, Alexandra Headland, Beerburrum or Landsborough are getting up to $1,060 back from this government. We've passed further reform which ensures that 94 per cent of Australians, including residents of Fisher, will never have to pay a marginal tax rate of more than 32½c in the dollar.

We believe that if you choose to put in the effort to succeed, you deserve to enjoy the fruits of that aspiration. At a time when wage growth is low and when bills for electricity and housing are high, the coalition government has acted responsibly and pragmatically, and said to people in my electorate, 'We are not going to take any more of your money than we absolutely have to.' Small businesses in Fisher that are creating the industry and jobs of our future are already feeling the practical benefits of the coalition government's policies. Companies like Helimods at Caloundra Airport, Eniquest in Bells Creek and APAC Infrastructure in Caloundra West are already investing in new products and offering new jobs in the knowledge that the return on those investments will be greater under the government's corporate tax cuts. Day-to-day businesses on which local residents rely, like CK Whole Foods in Mooloolaba, Maleny Jewellers, and Peachester Fuel and General Store, have been given greater confidence that they can earn, employ locals and invest for the future, because this government is taking less of their income every year.

We all see the benefits in thriving shopping districts and a low unemployment rate across this country. The bill we are considering today will further encourage that sort of confidence and that investment by ensuring that overseas investors are not receiving an unfair advantage which increases their returns and makes it harder for domestic businesses to compete. The people of Fisher and its local businesses are already experiencing the positive practical impact of the coalition government in their pay packets and on their balance sheets. This bill will support them further.

Under Labor, my constituents would receive none of these practical benefits. Labor voted against our personal income tax plan. They voted to take $70 billion more from taxpayers, including from the back pockets of 60,000 working Australians in Fisher. Labor have promised to repeal the coalition government's company tax cuts and undermine the investment decisions taken by tens of thousands of businesses in my electorate. Labor have promised more than $200 billion in other new taxes on housing, electricity, small business, investment, income and even pensions. Every day, whether you're a working Australian, whether you're an Australian investor or a small business owner or a retiree—it doesn't matter—you'll better off under the coalition than you would be under Labor.

But the debates over taxes that have taken place in this parliament reveal something more fundamental about our competing visions for Australia. Members of the Liberal-National coalition believe that the success that Australians want is a success built on hard work, investment for the future, and personal responsibility. We believe that Australians want the satisfaction of knowing that they have earned what they have, that they have provided for themselves and their loved ones, and that they've helped to build Australia's future. Labor have fought tooth and nail to stop us implementing our historic tax reforms at every stage, because Labor don't believe in aspiration; some of them don't even know what it means. They don't understand it. Labor don't believe in rewarding hard work and investment for the future or celebrating the success of ordinary people. For them, the more you work, the more the government should take. Labor demonise achievement. They punish hard work and they penalise investment, because Labor believe that the only success Australians deserve is the success that the government hands out.

That is the choice that faces the people of this country: opportunity and prosperity under the coalition, or Labor's politics of envy. I know which Australians will choose. I encourage this House to do the same by supporting this bill and helping us progress the vital work of tax reform today.

]]>2019-02-13T18:33:00+00:00Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Supporting Retirement Incomes) Bill 2018; Second Reading | Bills | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-02-13.131.2&m=722#g134.1
Forty-six per cent of the people who live in my electorate of Fisher are over the age of 55. Twenty-nine per cent are already retired. For most of my constituents, the issue of how they are to...Forty-six per cent of the people who live in my electorate of Fisher are over the age of 55. Twenty-nine per cent are already retired. For most of my constituents, the issue of how they are to support a healthy, long and active retirement is a live and critical question. In living on the Sunshine Coast, they have chosen to make Australia's most beautiful and welcoming lifestyle destination their home. However, they have chosen also to make their home in a location where the cost of living can be a challenge for many. According to the well-known cost-of-living comparison website numbeo.com, consumer prices in Sydney are 21 per cent higher than those on the coast, but the average purchasing power in Sydney is 46 per cent higher. Relatively speaking, for many it is as difficult—if not more difficult—to get by in my community as it is in our nation's most expensive city.

Many of my constituents, especially many of those who are older and retired, are finding it hard to make ends meet. They are not alone. According to a December 2017 OECD report, 26 per cent of Australian retirees are living below the relative income poverty line, which the OECD defines as half of the national average wage. The coalition has listened to the concerns of older Australians, and this bill is part of our suite of measures to help.

In my own electorate, I have convened the Fisher Seniors Council. This group of older residents living in my community gathers three or four times each year to discuss the issues that they face on the Sunshine Coast and to give me feedback on our government's policy ideas. When it comes to the cost of living, one of the messages that this group have given me loud and clear is that older people in Fisher want more flexibility in retirement. One of the members of the Fisher Seniors Council, Mr Frank Gower, continues to press me to ensure that we have an age pension that keeps up with the rising cost of living. This government has delivered that with an increase of more than $100 a fortnight since the coalition's election in 2013.

Most of all, seniors in my electorate don't want more handouts. They have worked to support their families all of their lives, and they want to continue to live independently. Seniors on the Sunshine Coast want the flexibility from government that they need to help support themselves. That flexibility to use their skills and their assets to support themselves is exactly what this bill delivers in two key areas.

Firstly, schedule 2 of this bill increases the work bonus to allow retirees to work more hours and earn more money without impacting their other entitlements. As people live longer and healthier, many are finding that they do not want to give up work entirely. I'm sure many of us in this place employ retired members of our community in our offices on a part-time basis, just as I do. They bring a wealth of experience and an unrivalled knowledge of our local areas that can be invaluable in any parliamentarian's team. In a great many sectors of our economy, from retail to agriculture, the experience of decades, the old-fashioned work ethic and the calm wisdom that many of our retirees can contribute would be welcomed by employers. My Fisher Seniors Council consistently tell me that they want the choice to work more to supplement their income but that the resulting reduction in their other entitlements is a substantial disincentive. This bill reduces that disincentive by increasing the work bonus to $300 earned per fortnight.

Further, this bill provides flexibility in responding to the changing nature of work. For retired people, self-employment or contract work can be particularly appropriate, allowing them to fit their employment around their other family and often, as is the case, their volunteer commitments. However, until now none of that work was covered by the work bonus. This does not reflect the nature of the modern workforce nor of the particular needs of working seniors, and this bill rectifies that situation.

This bill also addresses one of the issues that my older constituents most often bring to my attention. Many older residents of Fisher are relatively asset rich but income poor. The government has already taken steps to provide more flexibility for these constituents by allowing them to make a non-concessional contribution of $300,000 into their superannuation from the proceeds from downsizing their homes. But this bill goes further, giving more seniors another option of releasing equity from their homes and increasing their income in retirement.

The Pension Loans Scheme allows older Australians who own their own home to, in effect, take out a type of reverse mortgage with the Commonwealth government. Existing part-rate pensioners and self-funded retirees who are currently precluded from the pension by the asset test have the option to receive additional payments, up to the maximum rate of the full fortnightly age pension, by progressively borrowing against the value of their home from the Commonwealth at a competitive rate of interest, which is currently set at 4.25 per cent. This debt can be repaid at any time, and is usually repaid from the individual's estate.

However, there are many retirees who are not currently able to benefit from this scheme. Schedule 3 expands the Pension Loans Scheme to include those who are already receiving the maximum rate of pension and self-funded retirees who do not have sufficient assets to preclude them from the age pension. The bill also increases the total amount which can be borrowed under the scheme to 150 per cent of the maximum fortnightly pension. This will give flexibility to those who need a higher income to support their active retirement. Just a few days ago I spoke with a constituent in my electorate, Mrs Margaret Little, about how she would dearly love to have taken advantage of just this sort of a scheme but previously hadn't been able to access it. Now, as a result of these amendments, she will be able to. So that is, indeed, very good news for Mrs Little and people like her.

With this bill, the coalition is listening to senior Australians and providing them with more options for increasing their income and security in retirement. It is only the latest in a series of decisions made by this coalition government to support older people to live longer, healthier and more active lives. Since the coalition government was elected in 2013, pensions have increased by $107.90 a fortnight for individuals and $162.60 a fortnight for couples. We've used the proceeds of the strong economy that this government has helped to build to avoid the need to increase the qualification age for the pension to the age of 70. That same strong economy has allowed us to avoid repealing the energy supplement, thereby ensuring that individual pensioners have another $366.60 more in their pockets every year.

All of this could not stand in more stark contrast to the policies of the Labor Party. I met a man in my electorate office recently—his name is Adrian—who, like me, was a builder. He came to Australia from his native Italy with very little, and he has worked extremely hard ever since he came here. Adrian is a perfect exemplar of the benefits that Australia can derive from ambitious people born overseas who want to come to our country to get ahead and to help build our community. Adrian worked hard, and he invested the money that he earned to create a secure retirement for himself and a future for his family. Some of his investments were successful; some were not. But, when times were tough, Adrian got back on the tools, and he's worked his way back like many migrants and small-business people in this country. Throughout his life, everything that Adrian had he had earned for himself. He's rightly proud of that achievement and he rightly expects to enjoy the modest fruits of that labour in his retirement. He, like so many Australians, has saved enough to give him a comfortable but by no means extravagant income in retirement. But when Adrian came to my office, he was furious about what the future may hold for him and his family under a Shorten Labor government.

Adrian had looked into the Labor Party's retiree tax. He'd explored what their proposal to end retirees' dividend imputation credits, pulling the rug out from under millions of hardworking Australians, would mean for him. For Adrian, the ill-judged, punitive policy of members opposite would result in the loss of 60 per cent of his income. It would take him from a secure retirement to a life filled with doubt and uncertainty about the future. Adrian knows what all Australian seniors know—that this huge, new retiree tax proposed by Labor is fundamentally unfair. It constitutes a massive cash grab by a Labor Party so desperate to fund its unsupportable, fantastical spending promises that it is willing to take the livelihoods of some of society's most vulnerable people to do it, because it's not simply Adrian who would be affected by Labor's retiree tax. Nationwide, around 900,000 Australians stand to lose an average of $2,200 every year. Australians with self-managed super funds are set to lose an average of $12,000 every year. Labor's tax will affect Australian shareholders who are on incomes of less than $65,000, self-funded retirees, self-managed super fund trustees, small APRA-regulated funds, large retail APRA-regulated funds and retired small-business owners alike. Interestingly, yet unsurprisingly, it will not affect the industry super funds.

Labor's tax will cost retirees and small businesses almost $5 billion per year and, in total, will rip $45 billion out of our nation's hard-earned savings. In my electorate alone, 7,200 older Australians will be directly and immediately affected by Labor's tax. Thousands more of my constituents who have not yet reached retirement age will have their potential income in retirement slashed by this extra taxation. Contrary to the misleading statements of the Leader of the Opposition, the hardest hit will be those on the lowest taxable incomes. Eighty-four per cent of the hundreds of thousands of people who will be hurt by Labor's policy have a taxable income of less than $37,000. This tax will hurt hundreds of thousands of ordinary people who have done the right thing and saved just enough for their retirement.

Like many others in my electorate, Adrian is passionate about trying to do something about this unfair and ruinous new tax. He's determined to do what he can to stop the Leader of the Opposition and the Labor Party from bringing about this disastrous new reality for Australian seniors. Members opposite should take note: if they continue to insist on this damaging tax, they will find themselves facing passionate opposition from some of our society's most experienced, engaged and active citizens. For their own good, let alone for the good of the people of Australia, I would counsel them to beat a path to the Leader of the Opposition's door and convince him to abandon this unjust assault on our older Australians.

This legislation demonstrates once again that it is the Liberal and National parties who respect the contribution of Australia's older people and who will put forward the measures they need to support an active and fulfilling retirement. It will make a difference to thousands of senior Australians. I commend the bill to the House.

]]>2019-02-13T16:59:00+00:00Defence Legislation Amendment Bill 2018; Second Reading | Bills | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-02-13.36.2&m=722#g37.16
So while schedule 1 of the coalition government's bill will support greater fairness in the administration of our military justice, schedule 2 will improve fairness and security in the treatment...So while schedule 1 of the coalition government's bill will support greater fairness in the administration of our military justice, schedule 2 will improve fairness and security in the treatment of reservists who render defence service.

Reservists are a vital part of our Defence Force and are commonly required to interrupt their lives and their employment to go on active duty alongside regular service men and women. I met a number of the most amazing, dedicated reservists who had given up nine months of their lives and served their country in Afghanistan. I met neurosurgeons, emergency medicine specialists, dentists, lawyers and a chaplain—to name just a few. Often in the process of rendering this service these men and women sacrifice career opportunities as well as their personal lives, and existing legislation provides them with some critical entitlements and protections to mitigate some of the impact of these sacrifices. However, unfortunately, sometimes reservists may not feel that those entitlements and protections have been complied with and complaints sometimes arise. In fact, in 2017-18 there were some 1,400 inquiries of this nature.

I recently had a discussion at one of my listening posts with a retired reservist—I'll call him Tim—who served in the Solomons. Tim felt that a number of his needs weren't being properly met by the DVA, and I undertook to look into that for Tim. Tim personifies what being a reservist is all about. He has a common day job but has served his country in the Solomon Islands and other places where he experienced some graphic and very unfortunate circumstances which stay with him every waking moment of his life. This bill will go some way to improving the reservist complaint process. I want to give a shout-out to Tim and thank him once again for the service that he has given this country.

This improved complaint process makes the handling of complaints the responsibility of the Chief of the Defence Force, ensuring that accountability for looking after reservists lies with the ADF's most senior officer. The bill provides the Chief of the Defence Force with the necessary powers to investigate complaints of this kind and, indeed, any suspected breach of the relevant act, including the power to give notices to produce information or documents. The bill further provides the Chief of the Defence Force with the flexibility to deal with complaints in the most appropriate manner. In particular, it broadens the ability of the Chief of the Defence Force to deploy dispute resolution services other than formal mediation and gives them the power to compel parties' attendance at a conference to facilitate discussion.

These powers will help ensure that complaints are dealt with as quickly, fairly and efficiently as possible and, by extension, that as many reservists as possible get good employment outcomes following their active service. This is only the latest in this Liberal-National government's strong track record of delivering support for transition and future employment for those who have served in our armed forces. In total, in the most recent federal budget the government committed more than $11 billion to provide the essential services that our veterans rely on. This is accompanied by a substantial package of reforms. We've instituted a policy of no discharge without documentation, for example, to ensure ADF members are prepared for civilian life and future employment with all the documents they need, including medical and training records, to make transition as seamless as possible. We've delivered an extra $8 million for the Prime Minister's Veterans' Employment Program, which includes a new veterans employment commitment to which businesses can sign up. This program will help veterans to identify employers who are likely to support them and will reward employers for their insight. To help further, we've established individual professional career coaching for ADF members prior to and up to 12 months following separation from the ADF.

Employment prospects for veterans can often be improved by further education. We've allocated $10.8 million to remove the reduction in the amount of incapacity payments which eligible veterans who are undertaking approved full-time study as part of their rehabilitation plan receive. There's much more to be done in this space, and I'll continue to encourage the government to examine ways that Australia can look at adopting a US-style GI bill.

Employment outcomes for veterans can also be significantly impacted by their mental health, and we've taken action to support them in this regard. The coalition government has made mental health treatment free of charge for anyone who has served at least one day full time in the ADF, whatever their mental health condition, and whether or not the condition is related to their service. We're funding a coordinated veterans care program for mental health, which will support up to 250 DVA clients living in rural and regional areas who have mild-to-moderate anxiety or depression, alongside a chronic physical condition accompanied by pain. In total, we've committed an extra $89.6 million to support veterans' mental health, including $16.1 million for a new veterans payment for financially vulnerable veterans living with a mental health condition; $9 million to pilot new approaches to suicide prevention; and $7.1 million to extend support to families of veterans. To administer all of these programs we have provided an additional $100 million in the 2018 budget, on top of the $166.6 million last year to support the coalition government's improvements to DVA, upgrading internal computer systems and making sure we have faster and better service delivery to people when they need it.

There are an estimated 15,000 veterans living on the Sunshine Coast, and I'm absolutely passionate about ensuring we support our armed forces—both those who are serving and those who have served. In my own electorate of Fisher I've introduced a Fisher defence industry initiative to try to support new employment opportunities for former service men and women on the Sunshine Coast. I've held a local veterans forum, instituted a Sunshine Coast Veterans Day and advocated in this place for more support for veterans' tertiary education.

I believe this bill, though modest in its effect, will make important changes to the administration of military justice and the handling of reservists' complaints, which will see greater fairness for all ADF personnel. For that reason, I commend the bill to the House.

]]>2019-02-13T12:08:00+00:00Defence Legislation Amendment Bill 2018; Second Reading | Bills | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-02-13.36.2&m=722#g37.12
It is perhaps no surprise from this Leader of the Opposition. The workers at Clean Event and Chiquita Mushrooms learnt all about what this Leader of the Opposition thinks is fair&#8212;It is perhaps no surprise from this Leader of the Opposition. The workers at Clean Event and Chiquita Mushrooms learnt all about what this Leader of the Opposition thinks is fair— ]]>2019-02-13T12:08:00+00:00Defence Legislation Amendment Bill 2018; Second Reading | Bills | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-02-13.36.2&m=722#g37.1
I would like to thank the member for Kingston for the way in which she conducts herself in a bipartisan approach, generally speaking, in this important portfolio. This bill delivers on two things...I would like to thank the member for Kingston for the way in which she conducts herself in a bipartisan approach, generally speaking, in this important portfolio. This bill delivers on two things which I believe should be critical priorities for any national government: delivering fairness in our military legal system and looking after those who volunteer to serve our nation in the Australian Defence Force.

The ADF is full of dedicated, hardworking and professional people. I've been fortunate to meet many of them during my time in this place. I've taken part in a number of exchanges and activities under the ADF Parliamentary Program, including spending some time with our personnel in Afghanistan. As a member of the Defence Subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, and in my work on the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I've had further opportunities to work closely with our ADF personnel.

Our soldiers, sailors and air men and women are some of the best trained and most disciplined in the world. In any large organisation like the ADF, especially one which by its nature involves stressful work under pressure, individuals will occasionally make less than optimal decisions. Some people will fall foul of the rules, and when they do a court martial stands ready to assess the facts of the case and pass judgement. Although a court martial has special procedures most appropriate to the administration of military justice, it remains ruled by our society's core legal principles. One of the most important legal principles that underlies our justice system is the independence of our judiciary. To deliver fairness in legal proceedings, judges must be independent from the state's prosecution arm. It is that independence which helps to ensure the judiciary's impartiality, and impartiality is at the heart of fairness. In civilian life a judge has tenure. There is clarity of their remuneration structures and, at least in some jurisdictions, there is a transparent process in respect of their appointment.

The effect of schedule 1 of this bill is to enhance the independence of these processes in the military judicial structure to further secure fairness in the cases that come before it. The bill will increase the maximum term of appointment for members of the judge advocates' panel, who sit as Defence Force magistrates and provide legal advice to court martial members, from three years to five years. It will also provide for the Chief of the Defence Force to set selection criteria and processes for the appointment of judge advocates to the panel in a notifiable instrument. This will support a more open selection process, providing transparency for all in how candidates apply and how they are assessed.

The bill also ensures that remuneration for judge advocates when acting during a court martial is determined by the remuneration tribunal rather than by the ADF, ensuring that judge advocates do not depend on the chain of command for their pay. This will bring the process of setting remuneration of judge advocates in line with the process for the Registrar of Military Justice and the Chief Judge Advocate, ensuring consistency and clarity as well as maximising their independence. The rules and procedures of these courts are set by the Judge Advocate General, who is supported in their work by the Chief Judge Advocate. Once again, this bill makes similar provisions enhancing the independence of that position. The bill provides for the Judge Advocate General to lay out, in a notifiable instrument, the selection criteria and process for the role. It provides for more-robust processes for the termination of the Chief Judge Advocate where necessary, which are consistent with the standard provisions for termination of statutory appointments.

Taken as a whole, the amendments in schedule 1 will bring greater guarantees of fairness to the military justice system. They are part of this government's growing track record of bringing greater fairness to all aspects of our national policy making. We have brought fairness to our taxation policy, eliminating bracket creep for low- and middle-income earners and cracking down on multinational taxation avoiders. We've brought greater fairness for vulnerable workers, passing legislation to punish employers who exploit them and banning dodgy deals between employers and unions. We've brought greater fairness to industrial relations, reinstating a tough cop on the beat in the construction sector and reducing exploitation of workers by the criminal CFMEU. We have increased fairness in the distribution of GST with a more equitable and sustainable funding formula and greater fairness in medical treatment, listing an additional 1,900 medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

The contrast with the Labor Party and the Leader of the Opposition is stark. While we've introduced fairer taxes, the Leader of the Opposition wants to slug retirees with a huge new multibillion-dollar tax. He wants to ensure that high-income earners on $200,000 a year can get a refund on their franking credits, but a self-funded retiree who has done the right thing and saved for their future will get nothing. While we've introduced fairer taxes for small businesses and more opportunity for society's vulnerable jobless, Labor's tax plans threaten 1.4 million workers' jobs and will undermine the investment decisions—

]]>2019-02-13T12:08:00+00:00Economy | Questions without Notice | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2019-02-12.70.1&m=722#g70.2
My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline to the House how the government's strong economic management is bringing the budget back into surplus and making it possible to pay...My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline to the House how the government's strong economic management is bringing the budget back into surplus and making it possible to pay back Labor's debt? Is the Treasurer aware of higher taxing alternatives? ]]>2019-02-12T15:19:00+00:00Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Bill 2018; Second Reading | Bills | House debateshttp://openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2018-12-06.4.2&m=722#g8.11
That's highly offensive.That's highly offensive. ]]>2018-12-06T10:47:00+00:00